At-a-Glance

If you have a knack for working with high-level learners and want to boost your professional prowess, the Professional Certificate in Teaching Advanced Placement® is for you. Learn how to challenge students to meet their fullest potential by providing them with an intellectual experience comparable to their freshman year at college.

Developed in collaboration with the College Board and the only one of its kind in the nation, this certificate spotlights the latest instructional strategies for teaching AP classes while providing well-informed approaches to help reinforce key actions for developing an overall successful, school-wide AP program.

Designed For

Teachers interested in teaching Advanced Placement to students at varying grade levels.

What You'll Learn

Effective methods for delivering instruction in AP classrooms

Intervention and support strategies to ensure student success

Ways to support AP; programs on school budget through various fiscal and grant opportunities

The relationship of honors and other classes that lead to AP courses

Legal and ethical considerations for offering AP programs

The role of vertical teams and how to manage them for optimal success

Overall grading procedures and the process and philosophy for scoring exams

Strategies for working with diverse student populations

What You Can Do With This Certificate

Teaching positions are available in both public and private schools.

Program Overview

Real People. Real Results.

“These classes helped me understand the background and foundation of the Advanced Placement course. Coming from a pre-AP teacher perspective without any years of teaching AP courses yet, this familiarized me with AP Central and the formalities of the program.”

Danielle Salcido

Biology and Physics Teacher
Arlington High School Riverside, CA

Earning the Certificate

Prior to enrolling, please ensure that you meet the following minimum requirements:

Certificate Courses

Our certificate programs are designed to be flexible, allowing you the option to take just a few courses or to earn the complete certificate. If choosing to complete the certificate, we recommend you get the most out of your experience by following the suggested completion path below.

History, foundations and philosophy of Advanced Placement, how honors, Pre-AP and AVID programs prepare students to succeed in AP courses and strategies for increasing access and equity for all students. Ways to collaborate and communicate with AP and AVID teachers are discussed.

In-depth discussion of academic content and methods for delivering instruction in Advanced Placement Program classrooms such as interdisciplinary teams, block or alternative scheduling and school academies. Methods for understanding multiple types of assessment and rationale for the different types of assessment in AP classes are discussed. Other topics include technology for providing online AP courses, intervention and support strategies that ensure student success, methods for working with diverse student populations and support systems, and ways to encourage students to consider the Advanced Placement Program.

Methods for meeting the needs of both new and experienced Advanced Placement Program* teachers, developing teachers as leaders and working with administrators to develop an AP* program. Participants explore ways to assess local AP* programs, development of a site plan for articulation between Honors and AP* teachers in the same discipline and strategies for strengthening local, current AP* programs. Ways to assist AP* programs in a school budget, fiscal and grant opportunities for these programs and methods for working effectively with each school's unique culture are examined. Roles and responsibilities of Advanced Placement Program* coordinators and chairs are discussed.

A culmination course for Advanced Placement teachers which addresses in-depth discussion, field experiences and current research covering all content areas. Each participant addresses the specific content area in which they teach and develop a portfolio in the course.

Instructor Spotlight

“The constant changes and updates to Advanced Placement program redesign focuses on thinking skills and inquiry-based learning. This brings new energy and challenges to AP professional development. I enjoy sharing best practices and finding solutions for teachers who wish to maximize student learning.”

James K. Bokern

U.S. History Teacher and Endorsed Consultant, The College Board & AP Reader
Marshfield, Wisconsin

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